THE GUNDLACH SHUTTER, TIME AND INSTANTANEOUS

Gundlach Optical Company, Rochester, New York 1891 - 1893?

The Gundlach Shutter, Time and Instantaneous, is quite simply one of the most elegant shutters ever produced.

Believed to be Gundlach Optical's first, The Gundlach Shutter, Time and Instantaneous having a two-blade design, appears as early as June, 1891 in Gundlach's Illustrated Catalog of Photographic Lenses, Etc., Sixth Edition, and in Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1891. It was available in four sizes, No.'s 1 through 4, for 4x5 through 8x10 work, respectively. Both examples shown here are equipped with a pneumatic release having a solid brass piston, one of which is present but detached as a result of two missing screws. Both are the No. 3 size for 6-1/2 x 8-1/2 with casing diameters measuring almost 2-15/16".

Front lens removed showing the shutter's two blades partially open (Version 3)

The shutter's operation was detailed at length, as seen in the announcement for this "New Photographic Shutter" in Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1891 (shown below). In reviewing these operating instructions, along with the engravings and the examples shown here, it became evident that at least three versions of the shutter were apparently built:

VERSION 1

The original version as depicted in Gundlach's Illustrated Catalog of Photographic Lenses, Etc., Sixth Edition, June, 1891, and Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1891, was equipped with a tension spring to set and regulate the shutter's speed, and a slot at the rear for Waterhouse stops to vary the aperture. The circular vertical support at the shutter's top was flat, aligning with the ratcheted speed tensioning slots. The front of the shutter's casing, as depicted in engravings from both publications, shows them to be marked "Gundlach Optical Co., Rochester, N.Y.":

From Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1891

VERSION 2

The second version was now equipped with a large dial to adjust the shutter's speed, which replaced the previous tension spring. This dial, numerically marked for seven speed settings, is believed to connect to an interior coil spring to regulate the speed. Waterhouse stops are still used, and the circular vertical support at the shutter's top is now rounded, with the ratcheted speed tensioning slots having been eliminated. The front of the shutter's casing is still marked "Gundlach Optical Co., Rochester, N.Y.":

VERSION 3

In what may be the shutter's final version, it was still equipped with the dial to adjust the shutter's speed. However, the slot for Waterhouse stops has now been replaced with what appears to be an iris aperture. Adjusted from the front via a knurled rotating ring, f-stop numbers can be seen along the barrel mount surround adjacent to this ring.

The photo below with the front element removed, shows the presence of rectangular slots forward of the shutter blades. Arranged in an equally spaced pattern around the opening, these eight slots are believed to be the pivot points for the iris blades. However, no iris blades are visible, either having been removed or possibly as reflected in the photo, they are well recessed being that the ring selector is set at the smallest f-stop number or maximum opening. Presently, the adjustment ring is frozen, which if freed would provide the answer. I'll update this information as more can be determined:

Because this iris feature now occupies most of the casing's frontal area, "Gundlach Optical Co., Rochester, N.Y." no longer appears:

The lens barrels on both examples shown here are marked "Gundlach Optical Co., Rochester, N.Y." and "Rapid Rectigraphic, Pat. Dec. 9-1890, 6-1/2 x 8-1/2", along with "Equivalent 11in., Back Lens 17", Front Lens 23". The number "5743" which is presumed to be the Rapid Rectigraphic lens' serial number is seen on the Version 3 example. Based upon the Rapid Rectigraphic's late 1890 patent date and this last version of the shutter possibly having been manufactured in 1893, it's difficult to believe that 5,000+ Rapid Rectigraphic Lenses could have been built during this period. Possibly the lens' serial number range started with "5000" rather than "1". Neither the Version 2 nor the Version 3 shutters themselves exhibit any visible serial numbers, and it's presumed that Version 1 didn't either.

The December 9, 1890 patent date on the barrel was in reference to Patent No. 442,251 granted to Ernst Gundlach of Rochester, New York for the Rapid Rectigraphic's design:

Source: U.S. Patent & Trademark Office

This patent was followed by another granted to Ernst Gundlach, Patent No 461,609 of October 20, 1891 for another lens design with an inter-lens aperture. The Gundlach Shutter, Time and Instantaneous' design would be short-lived, being followed by Patent No. 520,198, granted May 22, 1894 to Henry H. Turner and assigned to the Gundlach Optical Company. This patent covered the design for the original Poco Shutter of 1894, with elements of the patent also being found in several of Gundlach's "Shutter and Iris Diaphragm" models that would follow. Henry H. Turner was a machinist and Gundlach's factory manager, who also served as president of the company at some point. Together with John C. Reich, another opticien also working for Gundlach, Turner designed the Turner-Reich Anastigmat Lens, with Patent No. 539,370 being granted to them on May 14, 1895.

As reflected in the operating instructions seen below, The Gundlach Shutter, Time and Instantaneous wasn't the easiest to use which no doubt contributed to its rather brief lifespan. Most likely manufactured for less than two years, it's nearly extinct today. Compared with some of its Prosch counterparts, relatively few examples exist making it quite rare.

Version 2 Version 3

Pneumatic release valve with its piston removed

From Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac 1891